A Different Path
by KadeSmash85
Summary: AU: A very young Nadie makes friends with a new girl, Ellis, who moves to her small town with a doctor. They grow up together until fate tears them apart, and Nadie must discover the secrets behind Ellis in order to find and protect her. NadiexEllis
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own El Cazador, if I did things might have gone a bit differently xD

A/N: This is going to an au fanfic. A couple different things inspired this idea. One was El Cazador itself. The opening credits have a couple moments of Nadie and Ellis as kids together playing on a beach and so forth, and the other inspiration is actually a mass effect story lol.

I here by thank my friend Gale for the motivation to do this story. Considering there isn't a whole of traffic on this side of I might not have wrote it if she hadnt of said she'd want to read it.

Without further rambling I bring forth this new story!

A Different Path

Chapter 1

Project Leviathan. A group of scientists worked endlessly to resurrect an ancient legend. A legend of human beings with the powers to be Gods. It began smoothly enough, but after years of dedicated research, and trials and errors, they finally had a major break through. But that break through would not last. It wouldn't even be as successful as they had hoped.

Sabotage. That was the assumption when hell broke loose. A great fire broke out, and many died. Research was lost, and the only two surviving experiments were quickly secured and secretly hidden away with new care givers. The project was devastated but not completely lost. They could still conduct their experiments to find out just how successful they were in the end.

But even that would not last long. One care giver worked on the project for about two years before he mysteriously vanished, with the experiment and any information concerning it. The head of the project was greatly disappointed, but did not seem overly concerned either. He calmly stated that they would resurface one day.

Mean while the doctor who had taken custody of a young girl, the very soul of Project Leviathan, had fled the country. After two years and having grown fond of his charge he decided what they were doing was immoral, even if his charge was born of science rather then natural causes. That no longer concerned him, she was still human in his eyes.

She was only 5 years old. She showed unusual abilities but was still very much a child. He felt that she didn't deserve a life like that. She deserved a life of a normal child. To grow up, to learn, make friends, to play. Everything a child should be doing. So he crossed the American boarders into Mexico.

Mexico had many places to hide, especially out in the deserts. He would search for somewhere remote, hidden away. Somewhere he could keep Ellis safe and give her the life she deserved. Even if it killed him in the end.

VWVWV

It was rare to ever find people passing through her town, but people moving in from else where was even more rare. In fact she hadn't seen new faces move in her whole life, and she was 7 years old! That was a long time. She grew up in a place that had families who lived here for many generations. Even her grandparents grew up here when they were kids.

To say it was a small town was an understatement. It was a close knit community of families who all grew up here. They expanded a little now and then but it was never anything big. They were lucky to even have a fast food taco place. Forget all that other fancy stuff like cable TV and internet. They didn't need it here.

Nadie watched from her perch as the new family moved into an old abandoned home that was across the road from where she lived. They didn't seem to have a whole lot when they first arrived in town a couple days ago, but now they were getting all kinds of things in one of those big trucks.

A couch, a couple beds, even a TV! Nadie's house didn't have a TV. Her family found other ways to have fun. Picnics, or swimming, they even would go camping on the weekends on a regular basis. They didn't need a TV, but Nadie suddenly felt a little jealous that the new people had one.

As she sat on the large tree branch high over her yard she spotted the little girl that was with the older man. The man had longer black hair and the little girl that huddled right next to him had blond hair. Nadie half wondered if they were even related. They really didn't look alike anyways.

As her blue eyes scanned the scene across from her home the little girl looked straight up at Nadie. Nadie blinked her eyes as she stared into lilac ones. The young girl had such a blank stare, but she knew the new girl was looking right at her. Like maybe she knew she was in the tree the whole time.

Nadie smiled brightly anyways as she waved at the younger girl. She looked like maybe she was a couple years younger then herself. The blond girl just shied behind the older man as Nadie slowly ceased her waving. "Wonder if she's shy..." she thought out loud. She then giggled and shrugged as she began to make her way down the tree.

She decided to grab her parents. They had heard about the new family but hadn't seen them as of yet. They had been on a camping trip and had just got home this morning and it was late afternoon now. Nadie figured she could even play with the new girl. There weren't many children in her town, and her friends were much older then herself.

"Mami, Papi!" Nadie ran into her home excitedly. Her over sized poncho fluttered about her small form as she ran through the house looking for her parents. She was excited to make a new friend and she only hoped her parents would go to meet the new comers.

She skidded to a stop at the kitchen entry way in her dirtied socks from being outside with them on. She danced excitedly as her mother turned to greet her daughter. "Well someone's in a good mood!" her mother greeted with a smile. She was just finishing up with the dishes they had used over their weekend camping trip when Nadie came running in.

Nadie giggled as she practically skipped into the kitchen, her father walking in from the other entrance that led to the living room. "What's all the excitement about?" he questioned curiously. His wife, Carman shrugged as she sat down the cleaned plate she was holding.

Nadie practically bounced where she now stood. "The new people have a little girl! Can we go meet them? Oh please, oh please!" Nadie begged, but still smiled a toothy smile. Even for a 7 year old, she still held a certain charm about her. Perhaps it was from her interactions with adults. She rarely got to meet a child of her age so was a little more mature then most would be at 7.

Carmen and her husband, Carlos exchanged looks with each other. Nadie took to dancing with her hands clasped together in front of her with a begging look in her bright blue eyes. "Well, I don't see why not. We'll have to meet them sooner or later." Carlos said as he approached his dancing daughter smiling at her.

Nadie giggled as she felt her dad ruffle her hair a little. Carmen smiled as well as she dried her hands on a towel. "Maybe we can invite them over for dinner as well." She suggested as Carlos stood, Nadie clasping his hand in her small one already tugging them towards the door, still giggling with excitement.

Carlos quickly scooped Nadie up in his arms as she cried out with a new fit of giggles as she kicked her feet up in the air in surprise. "Calm down, silly girl." he teased cradling her in his arms. He then looked over his shoulder at Carmen who was catching up to them from the kitchen. "Sure, having guests over for dinner is always a nice change of pace." he then said.

Once they were outside Carlos sat Nadie back onto her feet as she quickly ran across the lawn and onto the dirt road. Carlos shook his head with a smile as he reached for his wife, pulling her up to his side. "Our kid has way too much energy." he joked as Carman gave her own giggle.

Nadie stopped at the edge of the new girl's lawn as she watched the movers continue to move in all these new looking things into the old home. She still had a big smile on her face as she searched around for the older man with the dark hair. She was so excited to play with someone new. Maybe they could even play cops and robbers! Oh she loved it when she could get some of the teenagers to play that with her.

Nadie's parents finally caught up to her as they each grabbed her hand. She cheered as they lifted her off the ground for a short ride towards the door before setting her back down. It always felt like she was flying when they did that.

"Hello?" Carlos called into the home as he knocked on the open door. He looked around as he saw all the movers setting things down here and there. Nadie poked her head inside as well looking at the neat newer stuff they owned. Everything looked so clean and brand new, Nadie wondered if they were rich.

Finally the older man with the long dark hair came into view as he smiled at the family in his door way. "Oh, hello!" He greeted as he approached them adjusting his glasses along the way. Nadie tilted her head as his voice had what sounded like an American accent. Even when he spoke Spanish.

He shook hands with her father as they began to talk at the door way. Carlos introduced himself and his wife. He then rested his hand on Nadie's head as he introduced her as well. Nadie smiled brightly at the older man as he introduced himself as a Dr. Schneider.

As the adults continued to talk Nadie continued to look around the living room. She was trying to find the little girl she had spotted when she was sitting in her tree earlier. But when she didn't see her she absent-mindedly tugged at the man's pant leg. He blinked his eyes as he looked down at the little girl before him.

"Where's that little girl that was with you?" Nadie questioned curiously as she tilted her head slightly. He could hear Carlos chuckle some as he nudged his daughter slightly saying she needed to be more patient. Nadie just giggled in return as she continued to look around for the girl she questioned about.

Schneider scratched at his cheek a little as he gained a thoughtful look himself. He was sure Ellis was just wandering around the house somewhere. She normally didn't go very far from him anyways. "Ellis, come here a moment." he called out as Nadie began to do a new excited dance.

When she saw the new girl appear from around a corner Nadie couldn't help herself. She went running on into the house towards the blond girl, who looked slightly startled by the fast approach. "Hi! My name is Nadie, what's yours?" Nadie asked brightly and even boldly, and in English. By the looks of the family she was sure they weren't from around here.

Ellis gained a slightly shy look as she fidgeted where she stood. "Ellis.." she said quietly. Nadie held out her hand as she saw the adults do. She expected Ellis to shake her hand of course, but Ellis blinked her lilac eyes in confusion as she looked down at the hand offered her. She had never seen this before, or at least never understood it's meaning.

Nadie tilted her head as she gained a look of curiosity when Ellis never accepted her offered handshake. "You're suppose to shake it." She said lightly as Ellis looked back up at expressive blue eyes. She still looked confused as Nadie just smiled lightly reaching down for the younger's hand before shaking gently. "See?" she then asked as if she was teaching her now.

Ellis blinked again as she felt her arm being shook as Nadie sighed slightly. "Why?" Ellis finally asked. She was more curious now, then shy. Nadie dropped the girl's hand as she looked up at the ceiling a moment, rubbing her chin with her hand. Now that she was asked, it was a good question.

She then smiled at Ellis again and shrugged her shoulders, her over sized poncho making the shrug look a little bulkier then it really was. "I dunno! The grown ups do it though when they say hi to each other." Nadie replied. Ellis gave a look of thought at this. Really must have been a grown up thing.

Nadie then grabbed Ellis' hand once more before spinning on her heel. "Lets go play!" she then said with a laugh before she ran towards the front door, dragging a confused Ellis a long with her as they ran through the front door. Ellis had never really played before so the sudden announcement of doing so confused her more then the hand shake.

"You girls don't go too far!" Carman called out as Nadie darted between her parents with a slightly dazed Ellis behind her, still gripping her hand. Schneider almost looked concerned a moment but tried to calm himself saying that Ellis was safer here in this small village. She would be ok if she wandered off for a little while. It would be good for her to make friends with this Nadie anyways. She could do the things little girls were suppose to do if she was under Nadie's wing.

VWVWV

The doctor had accepted the offer for dinner at the young family's home. They had made some tasty enchiladas for them, and even made them not so spicy. Nadie had explained that she didn't like spicy food as much when they were eating. She was a really bold girl, but seemed very smart and mature for her age. Schneider felt more and more confident about letting her teach Ellis how to be a child.

Ellis was a quiet girl, Nadie noticed. She tried to teach her how to play tag but Ellis just seemed confused by the concept. Nadie gave up on that one and opted for hop scotch. Ellis seemed more inclined to play that game more. So they spent the early evening hoping around the dirt road playing hop scotch while their parents made dinner in Nadie's home.

But now it was getting darker outside. Schneider had spent the whole evening getting to know Nadie's parents as they got to know him. Nadie had dragged Ellis back outside as she introduced the younger girl to her favorite tree in town. She began to climb it before she reached a lower branch then the one she sat in when she first saw the blond girl.

"Come on, Ellis! You can see most of the town up here!" Nadie called down as Ellis looked a bit hesitant about climbing the tree. Nadie was more of an out doors type girl it seemed. Ellis hadn't been out doors a whole lot in her young life. But she decided she wanted to join Nadie in the tree so began to slowly climb up the same way the older girl did.

After Ellis had joined the other girl in the tree Nadie began to point out different places in the town. Indeed it was a small place to live in, but Nadie seemed to love it here. The way she was so excited about pointing out different places, and she spoke of a small lake over the hills where the older kids would go to swim and fish.

She even spoke of some of the adults and some of the businesses. Ellis tried to listen but she was growing sleepy. She slowly leaned towards Nadie. Finally she leaned onto Nadie who blinked looking down at the shorter girl. Nadie made a bit of a face as the girl's eyes were closed. "You're so weird." Nadie said quietly.

But she smiled as she leaned against the trunk of the tree. No matter how odd Ellis seemed, Nadie was determined to make the girl have fun. Nadie was quick to label someone friend, and she already planned to make Ellis her best friend, simply because she was around her age. It was nice to just be like a little kid with someone else instead of trying to fit in with the older ones.

VWVWV

Yay! First chapter is done. Hope you all like it so far, and I plan to write more in the near future. Don't be afraid to leave comments or criticism. I'm always learning how to improve through my readers.

Well, see you all next chapter! -hearts-


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I may start skipping ahead in time with these chapters. I may stick on a certain age for a couple chapters and then skip ahead, but mind you it's just to keep the story moving instead of getting stuck on something. If you want me to explore on something a little more, just let me know =D

Onto the next!

Chapter 2

Several months passed after the doctor and Ellis had moved to their small town. The doctor kept to himself for the most part, as did Ellis. But Nadie was an exception to the rule it seemed. When Nadie came looking for Ellis the young girl would allow herself to be dragged off to where ever Nadie wanted to go.

She even began to open up to the different games Nadie would try to teach her. Hide and seek was by far the hardest concept for Ellis to understand. Nadie would try to tell her to count to ten while she would go hide, and instead Ellis would just follow her. Nadie almost gave up on that one altogether.

Ellis was a strange little girl, Nadie wasn't oblivious to it. But she accepted Ellis despite this. Even her parents found the girl a bit odd. She was quiet, kept to herself. She wasn't loud or at all hyper active. She didn't even cry when she would fall down and scrape a knee. Nadie admired that much at least, even she would get a bit teary eyed when she scraped herself up.

The doctor was a different story. He was friendly enough, but he just seemed more like a shut in. He didn't leave his house very often, and whenever Nadie was there to watch movies with Ellis on their TV he was always working away on his computer. Nadie had never seen so many electronic devices in her life, and was constantly staying at the house asking questions about them.

The town had pretty much accepted them despite the fact that they both stuck out like a sore thumb. The town wasn't so shut off from the world to find new comers unwanted. They liked to see new people come to their small town, it was always refreshing to see new faces. But, that didn't always mean that the doctor and strange little girl weren't talked about.

People figured the two weren't related. They partly wondered if maybe he kidnapped her and fled the States to avoid being caught. Nadie's parents would quickly put a stamp on such rumors, saying the doctor was a nice man. Nadie knew all this, but she never spoke of her knowledge on the matter. She was just getting Ellis to warm up to her, she didn't want to chase her away now.

"Come on Ellis, dinner's almost ready!" Nadie pouted by the front door of the Schneider home. Ellis was going to have her first real sleep over at Nadie's home. The doctor figured it would be good for the girl to spend a night socializing with the family across the street. She did so on a daily basis anyhow.

Nadie even had an older friend over. A girl named Nina. She was 12 years old and would occasionally stay the weekend at Nadie's house while her parents would go to the city on business. Nina and Nadie were two completely different types of people but they still got along pretty well.

Nina liked to play dress up, and Nadie would usually reluctantly agree. She didn't like it when Nina would put make up on her, but she figured maybe Ellis would find it fun. Well, she would assume Ellis would anyways. Or maybe she would be confused by the idea. Nadie wouldn't blame her for it, she never understood why make up was so fun either.

Ellis finally came trotting from around the corner with the doctor following behind her. Ellis had a small pink backpack on as her little arms were stuffed with her blanket and pillow. "There you are!" Nadie exclaimed happily as she ran over to her younger friend quickly taking the blanket and pillow from her.

The doctor smiled as he hugged Ellis real quick. "You girls have fun now." He said as Ellis gripped Nadie's poncho as the older girl giggled running out the door with a silent Ellis following on her heel. The doctor shook his head and smiled as he closed the door behind the two. Ellis was growing quite attached to the older girl, even if she didn't openly express it. He could just tell.

VWVWV

Ellis made a face as Nina approached her with a bright pink lipstick in her hand. "Oh come on Ellis! You'd be so cute, I'm sure Nadie's parents would think so!" Nina said with a smile. Ellis looked at Nadie as if looking for some sort of approval. Nadie just gave a childish smirk and shrugged her shoulders at the young blond.

They all sat on Nadie's bed, make up strewn all about the bed. Nadie as already stuffed into her best sun dress, her hair all done up in braided pig tails. Ellis wasn't forced so much into a cute outfit because Nadie didn't have anything in her size, but she couldn't escape the make up apparently.

Ellis gave up when Nadie didn't tell her not to do it, and closed her eyes puckering up her lips like she had seen in her movies. Nina giggled at the sight, as Nadie bursted out in small fits of laughter. Ellis peeked one eye open as she felt the moist yet oddly textured stick run across her lips as Nina was careful to not mess it up.

After a while longer Nadie and Nina dragged Ellis down the stairs, who was a little red in the cheeks at the thought of being shown off in this odd way. "Doesn't she look so cute!" Nina chirped happily as Nadie nodded in agreement, smiling a bit toothy smile at her mother.

This was nothing new when Nina was over. She loved to dress up Nadie in cute outfits and put make up on her face. But now Ellis was like her new guinea pig. Nadie felt somewhat relieved by it. She liked girly things like doing her hair and being in cute dresses but the make up she never liked. Perhaps it was for older people. Nadie decided that had to be it.

"Oh, Carlos, look they're all so cute." Carman said with a smile as she went for a drawer in the kitchen. Carlos came into the kitchen from the living room, book in hand as he saw the three girls. Nina had long black hair, held up in a nice ponytail. She wore a skirt and a cute blouse, and his daughter in her white sundress with the pig tails. Ellis was in nothing more then a t-shirt and shorts but the make up was adorable.

He smiled at the trio as Nadie and Nina giggled, Ellis simply looking confused. "Say cheese!" Carman called out as she brought a small camera to her face. Nina quickly through out a peace sign as Nadie threw her arm around Ellis' shoulders, the two older girls smiling brightly.

"Cheese!" Nadie and Nina called out in unison as Ellis simply grew even more confused. She wondered why saying cheese for a picture was even relevant. There was a bright flash from the camera as Ellis reached up to rub her eyes having been caught off guard while thinking about saying cheese.

Nadie again giggled and she twirled around on her heel running back for the stairs. "Come on, lets go tell ghost stories!" she called out excitedly as she was already half way up the stairs. Nina turned around as well as she began to chase after Nadie, all the while Ellis slowly followed behind them still wondering about the whole cheese situation.

VWVWV

"Race ya!" Nadie called out as she already began to run ahead of Ellis. It was hard to believe a whole year passed already. Life was crazy fast when you were having fun, and Nadie seemed to have fun every day. Ellis had long since realized how much energy was pent up in her older friend as she tried to catch up to her.

They raced across the sandy beach of the small lake as Nadie's parents watched them from the picnic table. Carman, Carlos, and Dr. Schneider were relaxing while the girls built sand castles and played in the sand. Nadie and insisted they go swimming, but discovered Ellis didn't really know how to swim when they had got there.

She was a little disappointed with the fact at first, but had decided that wading in the water and playing on the soft sandy beach was just as fun. "Nadie!" Ellis cried out as she finally caught up the taller girl who giggled down at Ellis. Ellis smiled brightly as she was pleased with herself with catching up to the older girl in the end.

Nadie slowed to a halt, as Ellis shadowed her. "Alright, I think that's a tie." Nadie admitted as she tried to catch her breath. Ellis tilted her head curiously as she watched Nadie bend over a little as she breathed a little heavily.

"Tie?" she questioned quietly. Nadie perked a brow as she stood up. Ellis was a bit slower then other kids, Nadie knew this but sometimes she wondered if she was joking. The simplest things seemed to always escape Ellis the most though as she thought about it. Nadie looked up at the clear blue skies.

She then looked back at Ellis who still held a curious look on her face. Nadie couldn't help but smile. "Ya, a tie means we both won." Nadie said simply. It was the only way to put it really. Ellis seemed to get a look of understanding finally as she nodded her head. Nadie shook her own however as she smirked a little.

Meanwhile Schneider and Carlos were deep in conversation over what the outside world was like, while Carman read at her book. "So why did you go from modern life to a little town like ours?" Carlos asked curiously as Schneider adjusted his glasses a little. He never did come up with a good cover story, and Carlos was always asking.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you..." Schneider opted for as he looked over to the girls. They stood knee deep in water splashing each other, Nadie seeming far more into it then Ellis. The younger girl was a bit slow understanding the world around her. Part of that was his own fault he knew.

Carlos made a bit of a face at the comment as he leaned over the table. "Oh come on, it can't be that bad of a story." He insisted curiously. His wife nudged him in the arm as he looked over at her with a childish pout. Now they all knew where Nadie got it from. Carman just smiled sweetly at him though.

Schneider sighed as he watched Nadie drag Ellis a little deeper into the waters. He fell silent as he watched more closely as he strained to hear what the two were talking about. Carlos followed the doctor's line of sight as he watched Nadie try to show Ellis about dog paddling in the water. Ellis just watched with curiosity but not trying it herself.

Carlos smiled as he shrugged his shoulders. "Don't worry, Nadie is a fine swimmer, if anyone can teach Ellis, she can." He tried to soothe the doctor's obvious worries. Schneider sighed once more as he fiddled with his glasses. It was pretty ironic he thought. He went from not caring less about the young child to being a father figure in only a few years.

VWVWV

Cookies. That's how it all began anyways. Nadie's parents were at the local general store getting groceries when Nadie decided it was a grand idea to bake them cookies before they got home. Of course she dragged Ellis into it as well. Ellis was already with her when this idea brewed in her head. Ellis had protested, but Nadie didn't listen.

Nadie was an adventurous sort, and she had never done anything like it before. What she imagined would be the perfect baked treat turned into something else entirely. It started out with a small mess... and eventually grew into a disaster.

Now the kitchen was covered in flour, spilled eggs, and doughy remnants of their little project. The table was strewn with sugar, butter, and even spilled milk. Nadie was covered in the stuff as well, Ellis looking no better. "Nadie..." Ellis whined in a quiet voice as the red head gave an outward pout. "Is it suppose to be this messy...?" Ellis then questioned.

Her parents were going to have her hide for supper as she looked around the kitchen. "This isn't going as I planned, that's for sure..." Nadie admitted as Ellis looked at her with worried eyes. Nadie sighed as she plopped down on the chair she was standing on. The only thing she could think of now was to try and clean the mess.

Naide gained a more determined look as she rolled up her long sleeves before looking back at Ellis. "Only one thing we can do now. We need to clean this before my mom and dad get home." She said as she quickly hopped off the chair and ran for the roll of paper towels. Ellis only watched with doubt as Nadie began her best efforts to clean.

But little too late, as the grown ups would say. Right as Ellis began to join the effort, the front door to the home opened. Nadie froze in panic as she shot a look in the direction of where the door was. "This isn't good..." She muttered. Ellis was oblivious to the trouble that Nadie had really gotten them into.

Carman and Carlos walked into the kitchen, arms loaded with paper bags full of groceries. Nadie dropped her paper towel as she shot up to her feet, a frightened look plastered on her face. Oh she knew she was in trouble now. "What on earth?" Carlos questioned, disbelief filling his blue eyes as he looked around the disaster that was his kitchen.

Carman, was not as amazed though. She gave a firm look down at Nadie as she began to shrink on the spot. "I was trying to make cookies!" Nadie cried out in self defense as Ellis blinked her eyes in confusion. She didn't know what the concept of trouble was, but sticking around Nadie long enough, she was bound to find out. Sooner too, rather then later.

"First time we leave you home alone, and this is what happens." Carman said in a firm, but quiet tone. It was obvious she was disappointed. Nadie tried to flash a toothy smile, but Carman was not impressed. Carlos shook his own head with his own sense of disappointment as he sat his bags onto the counter.

He himself was still trying to find the words about the situation before him. "Nadie, getting yourself into trouble is one thing, but dragging your friend into it is another entirely." Carlos muttered as Nadie's smile faded quickly. He sighed as he rubbed at the bridge of his nose once.

She never thought that it would cause trouble. Even more so, she didn't think about the trouble she could get Ellis into. She looked down at her younger friend who looked back up at her. The look in her eyes asked for an explanation. She obviously had no idea what trouble meant, and of course she wanted Nadie to explain this.

But words failed the red head. She wasn't even sure how much trouble she was in herself. "Ellis, you may want to go home, and get cleaned up." Carman said gently to the young girl. Ellis looked up at the woman and nodded once. "Yessir." Ellis said with a quiet and unsure voice. She glimpsed one last time at Nadie who looked to the floor. Ellis then slowly made her way out of the kitchen.

Oh Nadie knew she was going to be in so much trouble now if they sent Ellis away. She expected to be doing house chores for forever, and probably more. Nadie suddenly decided baking cookies wasn't such a fun idea after all. Maybe she should have listened to Ellis' protests from the very beginning. She may not have this trouble if she had.

VWVWV

Ending the chapter here. xD Nadie the trouble maker, who would've thought eh?

See you guys next chapter!


End file.
